STUDY PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES
The Study Recruitment Review Committee (SRRC) is sharing information below about opportunities for students, faculty and staff to participate in research. All of the studies below (ordered by close date) have been carefully reviewed and approved to recruit from the Queens College community.
Participation is entirely voluntary. It is up to you to decide whether you will choose to participate in a study. All questions or concerns about a particular study should be addressed to the Principal Investigator (PI) listed with the study.
COLLEGE STUDENTS' ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION DURING and AFTER COVID
College Students’ Anxiety and Depression During and After COVID
PI: Alecia Duke, Graduate Student at Freed-Hardeman University
*Participants must be students 18 years or older and must have been in attendance at Queens College during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The purpose of the study is to determine the impact that the covid-19 pandemic had on college students, which may allow for more resources to be provided to student’s who may have suffered academically, emotionally, socially, and financially as a result of the pandemic. The research study will provide information which may guide college administrators in their identification and allocation of appropriate resources for students experiencing anxiety and/or depression during and after future pandemics. Students that participate will be entered to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card. To participate, please complete this survey.
Close date: 3/20/2025
OPTIMIZING STRENGTH TRAINING IN OLDER ADULTS
Optimizing Strength Training in Older Adults
PI: Anoop T. Balachandran, PhD. FNES, Queens College
*Participants must be 65 years or older and not actively participating (> 1 day/week) in a structured weight training program.
The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of weight training in older adults. The research involves a 20-week supervised weight training program to test the effect of weight lifted on muscle mass, strength and function. Participants will receive compensation, free on campus parking, supervised training, and an individualized report about muscle mass, power, strength and physical performance.
To participate, please contact the PI at athozhuthungalba@qc.cuny.edu.
Close date: 3/25/2025
TRAUMA and the BIG 5 PERSONALITY TYPES
Trauma and the Big 5 Personality Types
PI: Gulash Paker, graduate student, Aldephi University
*Participants must be age 18+ with a history of trauma.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between trauma, personality types, effects of emotional suppression and physical/ mental well-being outcomes. Study wont share participant information and they can join the study anonymously. Participants can join a raffle at the end of the survey to win $10 Amazon gift card.
To participate, please complete the survey here.
Close date: 5/15/2025
COLLEGE STUDENTS and MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES in NYC HIGH SCHOOLS
College Students and Mental Health Services in NYC High Schools
PI: Minonska Castellanos, graduate student, SUNY Buffalo
*Participants must be first-year college students.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether NYC public schools are providing adequate mental health services to prepare students for the transition to college. By focusing on first-year college students who recently graduated from NYC public high schools, this study seeks to provide critical insights into the long-term effectiveness of high school mental health services. These insights can help shape future interventions and policies aimed at improving adolescent mental health outcomes. By participating in this study, students will have the opportunity to share their experiences with mental health services available at New York City public high schools.
To participate, please complete the survey here.
Close date: 5/25/2025
ASSESSING the EFFECTIVENESS of CANNABIS MICRODOSING
Assessing the Effectiveness of Cannabis Microdosing
PI: Diane Banks, PhD
*Participants must be Queens College students age 18+.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of medicinal and recreational cannabis in alleviating pain, anxiety, and insomnia. The study will compare the experiences of individuals who use cannabis for medicinal purposes with those who use it recreationally. This research will help inform medical professionals, research institutions, and patients about the perception of microdosing cannabis for symptom relief.
To participate, please complete the survey here.
Close date: 6/1/2025
The IMPACT of FEMINISMS as THEORY, METHOD, and PRAXIS
The Impact of Feminisms as Theory, Method, and Praxis
PI: Carolyn Conway, Graduate Student at U Connecticut
*Student participants must be enrolled in a WGS course taught by a CUNY faculty member who has volunteered for the study. Faculty participants must (a) identify as women, (b) have taught 5+ years, and (c) demonstrate a commitment to feminist pedagogy.
The purpose of this study is to examine feminisms as theoretical lines of thought, methods of analysis, and forms of praxis in the classroom and whether feminist aims have a place in early undergraduate student political development. To participate, contact the PI at carolyn.conway@uconn.edu.
Close date: 06/1/2025
HEALTH, COMMUNITY, and MOTIVATION
Health, Community, and Motivation
PI: Dr. Jacob Shane, Brooklyn College
*Study participants must be aged 18-65.
The purpose of this research study is to understand university student’s beliefs related to motivation, health, identity, diversity, and well-being. The survey will take no longer than 1 hour to complete. To participate, please take our survey.
Close date: 5/25/2026
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS and MENTAL HEALTH
Physical Symptoms and Mental Health
PI: Dr. Laura Reigada, Brooklyn College
*Study participants must be CUNY students aged 18+
The purpose of this research study is to understand the experiences of emerging adults who may or may not have physical symptoms, with a focus on both risk and resilience, to better understand the relationship between physical symptoms and mental health outcomes. To participate, please take our survey. Questions may be sent to the Principal Investigator (PI) Dr. Laura Reigada.
Close date: 5/30/2026
IMPACT of POLICE BRUTALITY among BLACK YOUNG ADULTS
Impact of Police Brutality among Black Young Adults
PI: Alexis Brown, Graduate student at City College
*Study participants must be CUNY students who (1) self-identify as Black/ African American/Afro-Caribbean/ African/ Afro-Latinx/ of African descent (2) live in NYC (3) are 18+years of age (4) read and understand English.
The purpose of this research study is to to enhance our understanding of the psychological repercussions of police brutality and inform targeted interventions to support the mental well-being of at-risk Black young adults. Study participants will complete a self-report questionnaire assessing race-based police force exposure, racial trauma, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and coping strategies. Study findings will not only contribute to the existing psychological literature but also advocate for policies that prioritize mental health and social justice within Black communities. To participate, please take our survey.
Close date: 11/01/2026
IDENTIFICATION of OCD GENES in BLACK AMERICANS
Identification of OCD Genes in Black Americans
PI: Dorothy Grice, MD. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
*Study participants must self-identify as Black/ African American/ African descent.
The purpose of this study is 1) to recruit at least 1,250 Black OCD participants as well as family members and unrelated controls, and compare phenotypic findings and genetic architecture across ancestries; and, 2) to carry out genetic association studies for ultra-rare variants in the Black cohort and across ancestries. With this new research we will accelerate our overall objective, which is the identification of OCD genes across diverse populations, thereby facilitating our long-term goal of building the foundation from which therapeutic targets for OCD emerge.
Study participants will be interviewed. We have sites at Mount Sinai in NYC, however the study can be done completely remote over Zoom. We are looking both for people who identify as Black/African American who have OCD/are experiencing OCD symptoms (and their parents if possible), as well as people who identify as Black/African American who are not experiencing OCD symptoms (they would be a control for the study). Please contact dalia.marquez@mssm.edu if you have any questions about this study.
To participate, please take our recruitment survey.
Close date: 3/31/2029
RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS A RESEARCH PARTICIPANT
When you volunteer to participate in a research project, you have specific rights:
- You have the right to know the purpose of the research project.
- You have the right to know whether there are risks related to your participation in the study, e.g. the possibility of nausea, pain, anxiety or stress.
- You have the right to ask the Principal Investigator (PI) any questions you might have about the research project.
- You have the right to know whether your responses will be anonymous or kept confidential. When responses are kept confidential, the researcher knows the identity of a research subject, but takes steps to protect that identity from being discovered by others. When responses are anonymous, the identity of individual subjects is not known to researchers.
In addition, your promise to participate comes with certain responsibilities:
- Read the consent form before you sign it and ask the Principal Investigator (PI) any questions you may have. You should understand what will happen to you during the study before you agree to participate and carefully weigh the possible benefits and risks (if any) of being in the study.
- All participants have a responsibility to take the research study seriously and provide honest, thoughtful answers or comments.
- If you sign up for an in-person session, you are expected to attend the session for which you volunteered and arrive on time. A research session often requires a certain number of participants. While you may withdraw from a study without penalty, your failure to attend a scheduled session can make the participation of others less meaningful. If you must cancel, please do so in advance so that a replacement can be found.
Learn more about CUNY’s Human Research Protection Program Policies and Procedures